Spooked
by RobinRedoe
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the A-team tv-series. - I tried my hand on some horror writing, in a (somewhat) alternate universe but with the A-team as the main characters. The team needs to recuperate from their last adventure and has plans to lay low at a cabin in the woods. But something seems wrong. Could this place be haunted?
1. Chapter 1 - The mansion in the woods

Hey everyone.  
This is a revised version of a story I wrote in 2017.  
Because of Halloween, I tried my hand on a little bit of horror with all the bad cliches you can think of.

This one starts right after the happenings of my other story 'Haunting Delusions'. When I was writing this, I was still working on the last chapters, and because my mind was still in that 'universe', it made sense for me to do so (Plus it also offered a reason for the somewhat unusual behavior of our favorite guys).

 **A little warning: The story is a bit mystical, so there will be no Scooby Gang revealing a bad guy who played nasty tricks on the team dressed up as a monster. Maybe it all happened in a dream, who knows. ^_~**

Hope you'll enjoy it!

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Chapter 1 - The mansion in the Woods

"Mark my words, this is going to be a phenomenal weekend," Face said for the 13th time that evening.

The black van with the four soldiers of fortune gradually made its way through a rural area that consisted of many pine trees and dense shrubbery alongside the road.  
As per usual, sergeant B.A Baracus sat behind the steering wheel of his beloved GMC while driving the van over an unpaved road. A little less usual was lieutenant Templeton Peck, aka Faceman, sitting in the front passenger's seat, giving his gold-clad friend important road directions. Colonel John Smith, better known as Hannibal, was currently occupying Face's usual chair while chewing on an unlit cigar and reading a book called 'The Art of War'. Next to him, a little slumped down, sat captain H.M Murdock with his arms folded over his chest and his baseball cap pulled over his face, looking deeply asleep.

"This is supposed to be the top-notch house of the area." Face said while turning around to face his commander with almost uncontrolled enthusiasm in his voice. "It was built according to the latest trends in home décor!"

Hannibal looked up from his book and met the excited eyes of his lieutenant with a polite smile.

"The house is supposed to be provided with all the latest gadgets and luxuries a man can wish for." Face continued while ticking off on his fingers. "It has a fully equipped modern kitchen, six big bedrooms, a dining room, four bathrooms (one with a jacuzzi!) and there's even a recreational room with a big-screen television, a video recorder, a pool table and supposedly a couple of arcade games!"

Murdock shifted slightly in his seat while B.A grunted approvingly.

"Guys, we're going to be living the dream for a whole week!" Face said with a sigh and a longing look in his eyes. "Such a pity I couldn't bring Daisy along, though. Mmm... Daisy. I kinda miss her...She's really something, you know."

Hannibal nodded while taking his cigar between thumb and index finger.

"It sounds excellent Face... Almost too good to be true...".

The commander hesitated. "How did you find this house again?"

"My architect friend, Jean-Paul, owed me a big one," Face beamed with his trademark smile. "He said he would let us rent this apartment for a small price. Apparently, a bunch of famous actors has stayed there too...Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Goldblum, Carrie Fisher to name a few."

"I sure hope it's pet-friendly..." Murdock drawled from under the brim of his cap, apparently not asleep. "Billy likes his space."

Face's slightly exasperated gaze briefly met Hannibal's amused one. The conman rolled his eyes at the pilot and turned around in his seat to answer B.A's bark (aka request) for directions. Hannibal smiled to himself and looked out of the van's windshield to take in the idyllic scenery outside. It really was a beautiful area, and Face's energy was starting to affect him. The team sure could use some time off to recuperate from their latest 'little' adventure. Their short stay at B.A's mother in Chicago had been abruptly cut short when military police decided to show up in the area. Hannibal had to make a quick decision when the MP's where suddenly hot on their tails again. They barely escaped and B.A didn't even have time to say goodbye to his mother which made the man very grouchy and sullen. Both his sergeant and captain were still recovering from their injuries, although B.A insisted on driving the van himself.

"Nobody gets behind the wheel 'cept me," he'd growled at his comrades after limping his way into the driver's seat.

The road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles had been long and very silent. And even though B.A didn't want to show it, he obviously wasn't feeling fit and needed breaks more often than usual. His team members all noticed but chose not to mention it around the large man. They already danced around him on tiptoes as it was. Fortunately, halfway their journey while crossing Colorado, Face approached the team with a proposal. Wouldn't it be a great idea to stay low in the countryside for a while instead of heading to L.A where they would surely meet up with an MP-welcoming party? The guys (even B.A) approved of the idea. The handsome conman made a call, pulled some strings, and voila; they had a new destination. At these moments, Hannibal felt very grateful for his lieutenant's skills.  
Suddenly Face's excited voice broke Hannibal from his thoughts.

"There it is! Number 66. That's our address!" Face exclaimed as the van reached the entrance to an old property.

B.A silently heaved a sigh of relief. In need of a break, he was happy to have finally reached their destination. With sleepy eyes, Murdock curiously lifted the brim of his hat while Hannibal leaned forward to have a better look at the place. A dark silhouette of a house loomed up against the blood-red sky that was illuminated by the setting sun. The path to the mansion was cast in the gloomy shadows of the tall pine trees. As on cue, a lonely call from a hunting owl could be heard from somewhere deep within the forest. B.A parked the van in front of the rusty metal fence and climbed out of the van to stretch his stiff limbs. Face, Hannibal and Murdock followed his example and the four men stood in front of the metal barrier with mild feelings of hesitation. Face's beaming smile had somewhat faltered as he observed the state of the garden and what he could see of the house. It didn't exactly look modern. The whole property had a feeling of neglect about it. In fact, it didn't even come close to classy and trendy.

"Maybe they went for retro?" Hannibal suggested, correctly interpreting his lieutenant's disappointed expression.

Face checked the metallic numbers on the fence again. 66, that was the address his friend had given him.

"Let's have a look, shall we?" He said with a somewhat subdued voice that lacked his former enthusiasm.

As Hannibal and B.A followed him, Murdock casually strolled towards the front of the fence with his hands stuck deep in his jacket pocket. His eye had fallen on something dark and orange-colored on the ground laying half-hidden in the tall grass. He crouched down, picked it up and observed it with curious eyes. It looked like something made of metal. The flat object had oxidized and was partly covered in dried-up muck and leaves. With a little bit of scratching, Murdock managed to remove parts of the mud and reveal a shape that looked like a ...

B.A turned around.

"What're you waitin' for, sucker? What you got there?"

"Nine..." Murdock muttered thoughtfully while looking up at the numbers on the fence.

"Whaddaya mean, 'nine'!? Don't go picking up dirty things from the ground, man!" B.A said with clear disgust in his voice. "You' gramma never taught ya that? That's just nasty, man. Throw it back!"

Looking a bit baffled, the pilot rose from his crouched position and stared at the metal object in his hands. Then he shrugged and threw it back with an air of indifference. Today was not the day to fool around with B.A's bad temper. That kind of shenanigans needed a fully charged Murdock. Instead, the pilot brushed off his hands and stuck them deep inside his pants pockets again. A little surprised that there was no resistance coming from his crazy teammate, B.A gave a pleased grunt and turned around to proceed his limping way toward the entrance of the house. Behind him, Murdock gave the fence one last curious glance before following him in his footsteps.

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TBC


	2. Chapter 2 - Exploring

Chapter 2 : Exploring

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As B.A and Murdock joined the group, Face was already standing on the front porch while feverishly looking for the key.

"Jean-Paul said it was hidden under the cherub sculpture. But I don't see one." he said sounding upset.

As in unison, B.A and Murdock started exploring the badly maintained front yard together with the conman in search of the missing cherub. Hannibal, in the meantime, stared curiously at the wooden weather-beaten door. There was a slight breeze bristling through the branches of the trees and It was almost as if the mansion was luring him to come in. He reached out for the copper handle and pushed. To his surprise, the door swung open with a low creaking sound, slowly revealing the entrance to the house. Hannibal blinked a couple of times before a smirk appeared on his lips.

"Hey! It looks like we don't need a key after all, lieutenant." He said brightly.

Peck looked up with a bewildered expression on his face and peeked over the colonel's shoulder into the ghostly hallway. The small entry looked eerily dark and not very inviting. As the conman took a step inside it was as if the house heaved a sigh of anticipation. Face shivered involuntarily but brushed it off as a figment of his imagination and opened the door into the living room with building agitation.  
It was like stepping into a time capsule. The team walked into a room that had a Victorian look and feel about it. The big black-framed windows adorned by heavy velvet drapes barely allowed the last beams of fading sunlight to light up the room. The whole interior seemed to be made out of deep-brown mahogany wood. The walls, the floors... even the furniture was dark-colored, combined with hues of scarlet and burgundy. The living room seemed heavily furnished with old damaged cabinets and faded rugs that were decorated with intricate patterns. In the middle stood two old-fashioned maroon-colored sofas accompanied by a dented square coffee table. There was even a fireplace with a real bear rug that had patches of black fur missing from its back. It seemed to snarl at the men from its position on the floor. Murdock quickly stepped behind B.A's broad back while eyeing it suspiciously. On the other side of the room was an open kitchen with a dining table and some rickety chairs. The kitchen, which was modern compared to the rest of the house, looked ominous and abandoned in the fading daylight.  
They all had to agree that this didn't even resemble a fraction of the fabulous house they'd been promised.

"ArrrrgH!, I am going to KILL Jean-Paul!" Face exclaimed after making a quick evaluation of their situation.

The conman checked his notes with the address again. He was sure it was house number 66. He hadn't made a mistake. Hannibal, in the meantime, found a light switch and turned on the lights. They swooped on with a low buzzing sound. For a second they flickered unsteadily before stabilizing and giving off a warm glow. It didn't really approve the atmosphere but it was better than lurking around in the semi-darkness. Even the bear rug looked a little more friendly, though Murdock would absolutely argue the matter.

"At least the place has electricity," the colonel said with his usual optimistic tone of voice.

"And running water," Murdock stated after checking the water tap in the kitchen and filling a grimy glass he'd found in a cabinet.

"We might have to chew it first though," he remarked dryly while holding up the glass and eyeing the yellowish water with much interest.

"That does it!" Face snapped while making his way to the exit door. "This can't be the right place. I'm gonna call Jean-Paul from the van and see what he has to say for himself!"

With those words, he stomped out of the house and down the darkening dirt road toward the van. Hannibal looked around the place with mild curiosity and walked toward the stairs that lead to the bedrooms. Meanwhile, B.A limped his way to the couch and settled down with a low grunt.

"I don't know about you guys, but I ain't gonna take no more step tonight!" He grumbled.

It was clear that he was okay to stay a night in the house. Folding his hands behind his head and carefully lowering his healing leg on the old and dusty coffee table, he relaxed and closed his eyes to regain some energy.

"Good for you, sergeant," Hannibal nodded while walking to the staircase. "If you need me, I'm gonna investigate upstairs,"

"Me too," Murdock said quickly while following the colonel and casting a nervous glance at the bear rug again.

Entering the landing with the pilot close in his footsteps, Hannibal opened the first many doors that led into what looked like an old children's bedroom. There were some old cabinets in a corner, and a rocking horse and some toys in the middle of the room. Against one of the walls, he noticed a bunk bed.

"Dibs on the top bunk!" Murdock called with sudden enthusiasm.

His weariness forgotten, he rushed passed the colonel, climbed the ladder, and landed on top of the dusty blankets, causing a small cloud of dust to billow from the fabric.

"It's all yours, captain," Hannibal chuckled over the sound of the pilot's sneezing fit before turning around to examine the rest of the floor.

The other rooms were, like the children's room, old, dim-lit, and dusty. The wallpaper had faded through the years and came loose around the edges. The beds and furniture were covered in dust, and the floors showed signs of rot. While expediting the house, the colonel couldn't help feeling slightly amused about their situation. The house was clearly in bad shape and by the looks of it, Face had been the one being fooled for a change.

Hannibal paused at a wall that was decorated with antique frames holding old black & white, and Kodachrome photographs. As in every room, it seemed that the old house was still covered with traces of the people that used to live there. The colonel stepped forward and peered at the mounted photos. There were multiple pictures of a family; a mother, father, and a young boy that had a goofy grin that reminded him of Murdock. But for some reason, one photograph in particular screamed for his attention. It was the black and white image of a sour-looking elderly lady. She seemed to stare back at him looking solemn and unsmiling. Her white hair was fixed in a tight bun, her old-fashioned clothes looked impeccable, and for reasons unknown to the colonel, she held an ax in her hands. It seemed disturbing to say the least. Staring at the photo in wonder, Hannibal suddenly sensed a cold breeze that made the hair on the back of his neck rise. It was like someone was standing close behind him while blowing lightly in his ear. He whirled around to find... nothing. The colonel blinked for a second, then shrugged blaming the wind. After all, the house ought to be rather draughty after all those years of neglect. Having seen enough of the room, he decided to go downstairs again. Entering the landing, he thought he could hear Murdock talk with something or someone in the children's room. As this wasn't unusual behavior for the pilot, he didn't give it much thought.

"Murdock, I'm heading downstairs," he said while passing the door of the bedroom.

The murmuring stopped.

"O...okay," came Murdock's hesitant voice from the room. "See ya in a bit."

As Hannibal descended the staircase, he didn't notice that his captain carefully peeked around the doorway and watched him go with a look of worry plastered on his face.

* * *

TBC


	3. Chapter 3 - Seeing things

Chapter 3 - Seeing things.

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The colonel soon found himself in the kitchen of the house. In lack of having better things to do, he was curiously opening and closing cabinets while waiting for Face's return. To his wonderment, everything in the house was fully operative and equipped, like someone just left it without looking back. Weird…  
Suddenly, another chilly breeze rushed past his cheek and made him turn around. The draft seemed to be coming from the black-painted door that was hidden in the very back of the kitchen. It looked like it could be a mere pantry but for some reason, Hannibal suddenly felt an almost irresistible desire to know what was inside. He tried opening it but the door seemed to be stuck. The Colonel pushed harder, but still no movement.

"Well, whaddayaknow," he mumbled, feeling glad to have an actual challenge at hand.

He readied himself and with a small grunt, he pushed his shoulder against the door with all his might. At first, it didn't seem to move, but then, with some warning creaks and moans, it finally started to budge. Slowly but surely, the door jimmied open and finally revealed what was hidden behind it. It was as if the house was letting out a sigh of excitement and this time it was the colonel who noticed it. He paused for a second, looking around in wonder, then dismissed his unease and continued his investigation. The room was pitch-black and it took him a second to find the light switch. As he finally turned on the light, the scene in front of him gave him instant goosebumps. The walls and floor were covered in dark stains that reminded him unpleasantly of dried-up blood. Though, when inspecting the room a bit better and noticing some old paint buckets and turpentine, he figured they might just be paint blots. Still, it was like something in his gut tried to warn him.

Hannibal shook his head irritably, telling himself to get a grip and resumed his investigation.

There were two small windows, both boarded up with moldy old planks. In a corner lay a clutter of heavily damaged furniture that looked like it had been roughly attacked with some sort of tool. But what was most unsettling to the commander was the row of axes hanging on the wall. The empty spot in the middle indicated that one of them was missing. Even though the colonel wasn't a cowardly man by nature, he didn't quite like the feeling the small space was giving him. It was almost as if he could hear the walls breathe. Goosebumps appeared on his arms again and he turned around quickly to leave. Stepping outside, he closed the door firmly behind him just as Face barged into the house again.

"This is an outrage!" the conman bellowed when he entered the living room with a furious expression on his normally so attractive features.

His unease already forgotten, Hannibal left the kitchen to join his lieutenant.

"What's the news, Face?" He said while folding his arms over his chest and giving the man a stern look.

Face stood there fuming with his hands on his hips and looked around at the colonel.

"What's the news? I'll tell you what's the news!" he exclaimed while brushing a frustrated hand through his hair. "It's bad, Hannibal. It's a complete catastrophe!"

Hannibal just frowned at the conman, knowing perfectly well that his lieutenant could be a bit over-dramatic at times. Face had started pacing the room while kicking a cloud of dust bunnies out of his way. B.A, who'd opened his eyes halfway, followed his team-mate from his spot on the sofa with a slightly irritated expression on his face thinking: "Here we go again..."

"I tried to make contact with Jean-Paul," Face finally started. "But how many times I tried, I couldn't make the call! And you wanna know why?!" He asked, his blue eyes staring back at the colonel who patiently waited for the conman to release his anger.

"Apparently, we are SO far from civilization that I can't even make a simple phone call to set things straight. The car phone is useless. I tried moving the van to a spot with less trees, but couldn't even make a connection."

"You sucker drove my van?" B.A suddenly barked while making an intimidating attempt to get up from the sofa.

"THAT'S what you got from that?" Face countered impatiently, waving away B.A's threat before continuing his rant.

"The worst part is that it's getting dark quickly. So moving on into the pitch-black darkness in search of another place to stay would be out of the question in this area."

"Quite right," Hannibal nodded while noting the growing darkness outside.

He paused briefly while glancing at B.A (who'd grumpily settled down on the sofa again), making a quick assessment of his condition. His sergeant looked weary. It was clear he needed his rest, though Hannibal was smart enough not to say it out loud knowing very well that the man would deny it immediately.

"Okay. I guess that settles it then." He finally said with an airy tone of voice.

"It's too dark to drive through an area we're not familiar with, so I guess we'll have to stay here for the night,"

He searched his pockets for his unlit cigar and clenched it between his teeth. Face groaned while looking around the house in dismay. B.A simply grunted in agreement. He wasn't going to admit it to anyone, but he felt exhausted. There wouldn't be any more driving tonight if it were up to him. Hannibal approached his frustrated lieutenant and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I suggest we bring in the groceries and try and settle down for the night. We can use our sleeping bags. I don't think this house has been used for a while so we won't intrude on anyone's privacy... I hope..."

Face made a scoffing sound but nodded in defeat while folding his arms and staring at the toes of his shiny designer shoes.

"Murdock, are you coming? We've decided to stay!" Hannibal bellowed from the bottom of the staircase to the lanky pilot who seemed to be immersed in a conversation again. Hannibal could actually hear the pilot stop talking in mid-sentence.

There was a pause and then a: 'Coming, Colonel!" before the lanky man dashed out of the bedroom and hurried down the stairs.

"Who were you talking to?" Hannibal asked with mild curiosity.

"What are you talking about?" Murdock replied.

He looked a little embarrassed as he passed his COL while lowering the rim of his hat to cover his eyes the way he sometimes did when he felt uneasy. Hannibal scrutinized the pilot who quickly settled down on the sofa next to B.A. The bulky sergeant observed the pilot with wary eyes while mentally preparing himself for a lot of jibber-jabber. But... None came. Murdock sat down without a word, pulled a comic book from his jacket, and held it close to his face pretending to read. The sergeant looked up at Hannibal with raised eyebrows. In response, Hannibal raised his shoulders and shrugged at his sergeant to communicate his own bewilderment. Murdock was still recovering from moderate head trauma, and although he seemed to be making quick progress, he'd been more quiet and forgetful than usual, and even been a bit short-fused. The doctor had assured them that the symptoms were likely to disappear over time, but he clearly needed some more time to heal. Dismissing the unease that was building in his chest, Hannibal decided to let it go and cut his captain some slack. All was fine...

Soon Face and Hannibal had taken the groceries duffel bags from the van and settled themselves into the old cabin. Murdock confirmed his dibs on the bunk bed while Face and Hannibal each chose a bedroom upstairs. B.A quickly volunteered for the couch since he didn't fancy staggering up and down the stairs with his painful leg. Then Murdock cooked them a fantastic dish called 'Murdocki's famous Spaghetti-con-meaty-di-bally-al-sugo', and Hannibal gathered some dry wood for the fireplace to warm up the cold room. To B.A's great relief, they'd moved the bear rug out of sight because Murdock kept leaping and dancing around it with high-pitched shrieks when he got too near. Maybe it wasn't as clean and luxurious as Face would've liked, but the conman had to agree (even though grudgingly) that it wasn't exactly uncomfortable either. The gloomy appearance of the room seemed to have improved a little in the warm light of the fire. Though maybe it was simply because they were in good company. With their bellies full, and their feet warmed up at the fireplace, the team finally felt relaxed.  
Hannibal observed his men while peacefully smoking his cigar. Face sat opposite him, staring sleepily into the fire place. He seemed deeply lost in deep thoughts while sipping from a glass of wine. Murdock, who'd settled on the sofa with his comic book next to B.A, had fallen asleep and gradually slid sidewards against the bulky shoulder of the mechanic who pretended not to have noticed while drinking a glass of milk and reading the manual of a recently purchased car radio for the van. B.A rubbed his eyes and yawned, which triggered Hannibal into a yawn as well. It was when Face almost dropped his glass of wine while dozing off that Hannibal decided it was time for all of them to hit the sack. B.A agreed and turned around to nudge Murdock awake. The pilot slowly opened his eyes, then visibly stiffened. For a second, his eyes locked onto something in front of him that only he could see. He looked positively flustered while following its moves. Then, he slowly nodded his head as if he'd just answered a question. It took him a couple of seconds before he realized that the guys were all staring at him and he quickly composed himself while pretending to reach for his comic book which had fallen to the floor.

"Time to turn in, captain. Your bunk is awaiting," Hannibal said, frowning slightly at the pilot's odder than usual behavior.

Murdock nodded without looking at any of the guys. Then, almost as if he was sleepwalking, he stood up and with a mumbled goodnight, he made his way up the stairs into the room with his recently acquired bunk bed. Hannibal watched him go with a thoughtful expression on his face but said nothing.

"He's just tired," Face said, correctly interpreting the colonel's thoughts as he picked up his bag with toiletries.

"I guess..," Hannibal said pensively. He'd noticed B.A's eyes following Murdock too. The pilot had already disappeared into his room.

"By the way, If you don't mind, I'm gonna wash up first," Face said with a sneaky grin.

And before anyone had time to protest, he disappeared into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Hannibal turned to B.A with a sigh.

"I guess that means we're in for a long wait. What about a good ol' game of gin rummy, sergeant?"

"Only if you don't cheat this time, Hannibal," B.A grunted while repositioning his leg on the cushion.

"Scout's honor," Hannibal grinned while grabbing the deck of cards from Face's duffel bag and shuffling them.

More than half an hour later, after Face had finally vacated the bathroom, Hannibal brushed his teeth and made his way to his bedroom. The conman had already gone to sleep, and B.A had made himself comfy with a sleeping bag and some pillows on the sofa. Yawning again, the colonel was happy to welcome some serious shut-eye. The house seemed quiet and even peaceful for the moment. Or was it? Halfway up the staircase, the colonel suddenly thought he heard voices. Plural!  
He thought he recognized the soft sound of Murdock's voice but he was sure he heard another voice as well. It sounded like ... a child? As Hannibal reached the landing the voices suddenly stopped. The colonel noticed that the door to Murdock's room was half-open. He knew the pilot preferred an open door when he slept alone because he felt safer that way. He always had a nightlight with him so he would see where he was if he woke up during the night. Silently, the colonel peeked around the door and saw Murdock's too tall frame dangling over the edges of the bunk bed. His sleeping face was ghostly illuminated by the small beam of the nightlight that lay next to his pillow. He was still fully dressed and hadn't even bothered to take off his shoes. The colonel shook his head in wonder. That wasn't Murdock's usual bedtime routine. From his position at the door, Hannibal's eyes scanned the rest of the room recognizing the silhouettes of the dusty old cabinet and the rocking horse. Except for the furniture and toys, the room seemed empty. Hannibal sighed while ridiculing himself for being so apprehensive. What was he thinking? Of course, Murdock was alone... How could there be anybody else in this house than his men? Giving the room one more glance, Hannibal slowly moved his gaze back to Murdock's face and almost jumped out of his skin. The pilot's coffee black eyes were wide open and staring back at him with intent.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Hannibal apologized while quickly recovering from his fright.

"Was I sleeping?" Murdock asked, seemingly confused.

"Who were you talking to?" Hannibal asked.

"Was I talking?" Murdock replied hazily. He frowned and his eyes strayed away toward the rocking horse.

Hannibal looked at the horse too, then back at the captain.

"Never mind, kid," he said. "Go back to sleep."

Murdock closed his eyes again. Hannibal gave him one more searching look and then decided it had just been his imagination. He was tired, and Murdock had probably been talking in his sleep just now. It wasn't that uncommon. But when Hannibal turned around to leave the room, he didn't see Murdock opening his eyes and staring after him with a anxious expression.

The rocking horse started rocking ever so slightly.

TBC


End file.
